Process of reducing iron ore without melting



, I Feb. 23, 1932. w. H. SMITH 1,346,530

PROCESS OF REDUCING IRON ORE WITHOUT MELTING Filed Nov. 28, 1928 INVENTOR. (z/122m 2? 1557/27;

BY Z X A TTORNEY.

. Fe,O, to FeO; and FeO to Fe,

Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'WILLIAI H. vSMIII'IIZ'H, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO ommm REDUCTION 003- PORTION, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE r or meme men on]: wrrnou'r mma Application ma ll'ovember 28. ms." sum Io. mars.

This invention relates to a process of reducing iron ore without melting. It has to do particularly with a specific process for controlling the 'reduction of no. to Fe og considering CO as areducing agent.

Many attempts have heretofore been made toward the reduction of iron ore without melting, and while reduced iron or sponge iron has been obtained, such product has been of a relatively poor quality, and even with such qualit as has been obtained, the results have varie considerabl Probably the chief reason for previous ailures to obtain continuous, complete reduction of iron ore and aconstant uniformity of quality, has been due to the failure of subjectin the streams of iron ore to limited, well de ed reducing zones,

and to a lack-of maintainin a predetermined constant temperature at suc zone. The present invention, in general, may utilize a method and apparatus wherein the retorts are formed in a long bank of ovens, the ore fed in continuous, narrow streams, and the heat a plied internally between successive streams of ore, but it relates to a more specific process for accurately controlling the continuous reduction of iron ore to sponge iron utilizing CO as a reducing agent.

I have found that the reduction of iron 0 to spon e iron takes place most eificiently and most e ectively by maintaining three distinct, positive, and separate zones to control the separate successive reductions of the iron ore to pure reduced iron. I have further discovered that there is a direct equilibrium between the temperature of reduction of the iron oxides and the relative percentage of CO and CO and that by maintaining such equilibrium in correct proportions at the distinct, positive zones, I am able to accurately control within very narrow limits the uniform, complete reduction of the iron oxides to the reduced iron.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken transverselythrough one ofthe heating units which is positioned between two streams of ore, and

illustrating one method of accurately controlpreferably Fe,,(), is fed into ling't-he application of heat to three separate zones.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view taken longitudinally of the bank of ovens, and illustrating\ a method of providing and maintaining t ree separate zones for re ucing the iron oxide to pure iron.

Fi 1 and 2 are merel for the purpose of il ustrating one metho applicants process. In Fig. 2 the apparatus is so constructed that the retort is divided into a preheating zone 1, a reducing zone 2, and a cooling zone 3, and the reducing zone 2 is in turn divided into three zones, A, B, and The present invention relates mainly to the provision and the maintenance of said three zones, A, B, and G, and the process of controlling the reduction of ore in said three zones. l

Fig. 1 is a section taken through one of the heating flues,'as,show,n i" Fig. 2, and for the purpose of the present entlon, attention is particularly directed to the three'burners, 4, 5, and 6, which are so inserted at predetermined points ,as' to accurately control the heating of the specific zones A, B, and C. Obviously, other means of heating may be provided, such as electrical resistance units,

ut such ad'ustable burner elements 4, 5, and 6, have nfound practical and sufiicient for carrying out the present process.

In carrying outmy process, iron oxide, the to hopper of each retort and is continually fe through each retort by means of the valve members 7 and 8 at the top and bottom of eachretort. This iron oxide is preferably mixedwith a surplus amount of carbon and fed as a mixture down through each retort; The carbon may be present in any one ofseveral different .forms.

The heat in the top zone 1 which is preferabl derived either from the coolin zone 3 or $0111 the reducing zone 2, is sufliclent to preheat the 'down-movin mixture. I The zones A, B, and O aremamtained at a constant predeterminedtemperature to accomgelish the reducing of the iron' oxide as will later described. Such zones, A, B, and G, of course, may be varied according to the of carrying out quality of ore and reducing agent used and according to the quality of reduction desired, the point being, however, that for a particular grade of iron oxide, a particular rate of movement through the retort, and for a particular reduction desired, such zones will be maintained at a constant predetermined temperature. Furthermore, as will be later described, I have found that each zone, A, B, and 0, requires a different amount of heat units for eifecting the complete reductlon step in each particular zone.

I have discovered that the reduction of iron oxide Fe O to Fe is best accomplished by carrying out such reduction in three distinct zones whereby the Fe O is first changed to Fe O next to FeO, and then to Fe, and that such changes are preferably accomplished within certain predetermined ranges of temperature and in the presence of a certain redetermined percentage of CO relative to 0 Of course, if the iron oxide available is Fe O instead of Fe O the first zone would then be the preheating zone which would bring the temperature of the F8 0, up to the correct point for changing the same to FeO.

I have discovered that the preferred temperature for reducing Fe O to Fe O is up to 500 C. in the presence of ascending carbonaceous and/or hydrogen gases from the two lower zones B and C. I have found also that the preferred temperature for reducing Fe O to FeO is from 500 to 700 C.,

largely utilizing the ascending gases from zone C to zone B at a predetermined ratio varying from approximately 30% CO and C0,, to 60% CO and 40% CO I have furthermore discovered that the preferred temperature to be maintained in zone C varies between 7 00 C. and 1100 (3., and that the ratio ofCO to CO in this field varies from approximately 60% CO to approximately 95% CO.

I have still further discovered that of the total reduction heat supplied to the zones A, B, and C, in the present process, that practically 60% is utilized in zone C for carrying out the reduction of FeO- to Fe; approximately 22% is required in reduction of F e 0 to Fe O and that approximately 18% is required in the reduction of Fe O to FeO. It will thus be obvious that it is not only necessary to maintain the three zones at three distinct temperatures, but that it is also necessary to so control the supply of heat units so that the greater supply will be constantly available in zone C to carry out the final reduction to sponge iron.

It will thus be seen that I have discovered that in the continuous reduction of iron oxide to iron by moving the same in a continuous stream in the presence of a reducing agent such as CO, that three distinct reducing zones should be maintained, and that in each zone the efficient reduction maybe only carried out within specified limits; that is, as to temperature and percentage of CO and CO present; and that furthermore the supply of heat units to such three zones must be varied in accordance with the reduction taking place in said zones. Of course it will be understood that'the temperatures and percentages of CO and CO in each zone may overlap slightly as to the ranges above given, but it will be understood that such ranges and temperatures given cover the general field in which each reduction should take place.

It will be understood that the CO or the CO and CO may be supplied from other sources and by other means, than by adding the carbon with the ore at the top of each retort, and it will be furthermore understood that various means may be provided for conveying away certain gases at predetermined points in each retort; however, this last structure is of no particular moment in the present case.

It will be understood that in the carrying out of my preferred process, the greater portion of the reaction takes place in zone C where the C coacts with the O of the FeO to form CO which immediately in the presence of the excess C and the predetermined temperature in zone C, forms CO. This CO further reduces the FeO and also passes up to zones B and A in the correct percentages suflicient to reduce the iron ore in accordance with the temperature and heat units present as above described.

In other words, while I have found that the ercentage of CO in zones A, B, and C, as a ove set forth, should be maintained, it will be understood that if 90% production of CO is maintained in zone C that approximately 60% of this will be utilized in reducing the FeO to Fe in zone C, 22% in zone B, and 18% in zone A.

It will be further understood that if desired, the flow of gases may be reversed to that of the preferred process above described; that is, instead of supplying the greater percentage of heat units in zone U, thus initially forming the relatively correct percentage of G0 which passes to the upper zone, some of which changes to CO with an exothermic action and thus producing internal heat, I increase the percentage of heat units supplied to zones and B and form the necessary and relatively small percentage of CO in zones A and 'B. In this case some of the CO and CO formed in the zone A will pass down to zone B and the heat units supplied in this zone increased to form the relatively greater portion of CO and CO "to com lete reaction in this zone. Some CO and C 2 will then pass downward to zone C while under the higher temperature and the presence of excess carbon, the CO present will be changed to CO to obtain the relatively high percentage of CO required in this final I i M 1,846,580

. reducing zone. This complete downward action in the three zones will bean endothermic action and will require the supplying ofmore heat units than my HPIGVIOHSlY de- Tcribed preferred process. owever, 1n the atter zone and utilized and any Such CO gas in zone C will be of a reater amount and better quality than the (/0 which would be ob-. tained in zone A, as a result of the first process described.

What I claim is:

1. The process of reducing iron ore in the presence of CO, whichconslsts 1n substantially continually moving a charge of iron oxide and carbon through a main reducmg zone divided into a plurality of reducing subzones, independently maintaining each subzone at a fixed predetermined but increased temperature and supplyinga different but predetermined number of heat units suflicient to complete the reaction and reduction at each 7 particular subzone.

2. The process of reducing iron ore in the presence of CO, which consists in substantially continually moving a charge of 1ron oxide and carbon through preheating, reducing and cooling zones, the reducing zone being divided into a plurality of positively defined subreducing zones to successively reduce the iron oxide, maintaining a predetermined proportion of CO and CO in each zone and maintaining a different predetermined and independently controlled temperature in each zone corresponding to the pro portion of CO and CO 3. The process of reducing iron ore in the presence of G0,- which consists in substantially continually moving a charge of iron oxide and carbon through a plurality of positively defined reducing zones to successively reduce the iron oxide, maintaining a predetermined proportion of CO and CO in each zone, maintaining a different predetermined I and independently controlled temperature in lronin the presence of carbon, which comently controlledreducing zones, the first zone being only of suflicient temperature to reduce the Fe O to Fe O, in the presence of gases rising from lower zones, the second zone be-' ing maintained at a temperature only sufii cient to substantially reduce the Fe O to FeO in the presence of a predetermined percentage of CO, and the third zone being maintained at a substantially constant temperature, sulfirocess CO gas may be taken ofi at cient to reduce the FeO to'Fe the resence of apredetermined percentage of C 5. The process of reducing iron ore with carbon, which comprises mixing iron oxide in-theform of Fe O and carbon, substantially continuall feedin the mixture in an enclosed retort t rough time contiguous but independently controlled reducing zones, the first zone being onlyof sufficient temperature to reduce the Fe O to Fe O in the presence of gases rising from lower zones, the second zone being maintained only at a temperature suificient to reduce the Fe O to FeO' in the "resence of a' predetermined percenta e of 0, and the third zone being maintaine at a substantially constant temperature, suflicient 'suflicient heat units at said zone to form and maintain a supply of CO relative to CO of from 60% to 95%, maintaining a second zone above said first zone at substantially 500 to 7 00 C. and'm'aintaining a percenta e of CO relative to CO in said second zone 0 approximately 30% to 60%. i

7;. The steps in the process of reducing iron ore, which comprises maintaining a substantially continuous stream of iron oxide, passing said stream of iron oxide through a main reducing zone divided into a plurality of positively defined zones one ofwhich is maintained at substantially 700 C. to 1100 C.,

and supplying constantly maintained but a different quantity of heat units to each zone. 18.] The process of reducing iron oxides to prises dividing the main reducing zone into a plurality of distinctly separate sub-reducing zones, maintaining one of said positively defined zones at a predetermined temperature to maintain an equilibrium between the CO and CO whereby. the percentage of CO in said zone will be etween 60% and 95%, maintaining a second positively defined zone above the first mentioned zone at a distinctly lower and predetermined temperature to maintain an equilibrium between CO and CO in the second zone of between 30% and 60%, and passing the charge. of iron oxide and carbon successively through said positively defined zones maintained at predetermined but different temperatures.

9. The process of reducing Fe O to Fein three distinct steps which comprises, maintaining three separate zones and three distinct temperatures in each zone, subjectinga charge of iron oxide and carbon successive- -ly to the three distinct zones,-maintaining the temperature of the third zone sufficient to create and maintain a gaseous atmosphere of.

from to CO, maintainin the temperature of the second zone such t at a gaseous atmosphere of from 30% to 60% C maintained, the Fe O being reduced to Fe o in the first zone, the Fe O being reduced to FeO in the second zone and the FeO being reduced to .Fe in the third zone, a portion of the CO in the third zone being utllized to reduce the FeO to Fe and a p ortion passing upwardly to assist in the reduction in the second zone.

10. The process of reducing Fe O to Fein three distinct steps, which comprises maintaining three distinct reducing zones through which iron oxide and carbon pass, the iron oxide being reduced to FeO in the second zone, maintaining the temperature of the third zone such that the FeO is reduced to Fe in the presence of carbon and a gaseous atmosphere containing between 60% and 95% CO, maintaining the production of this percentage of1CO and utilizing a portion of the same in the final reduction of the iron oxide, and then passing a portion of said CO up to the other zones to assist in the reduction in said zones.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si ature.

WILLIAM H. S ITH.. 

